PHILOSOPHY: Is there “free will”?

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

“We are nothing more or less than the cumulative biological and environmental luck, over which we had no control, that has brought us to any moment.” — Stanford neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky

https://bookfreak.substack.com/p/book-freak-202-determined?publication_id=1194226&post_id=184457506&isFreemail=true&r=1uhcoe&triedRedirect=true

Book Freak #202: Determined
A Science of Life without Free Will
Mark Frauenfelder
Mar 17, 2026

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Core Principles

  • You Are the Sum of Luck You Didn’t Choose
  • Your Brain Decides Before “You” Do
  • Childhood Sculpts the Adult Brain
  • No Justifiable “Deserve”

*** end quote ***

If there is “free will”, then is it in the small choices we do get to make? 

If there is no “free will”, is anyone ever “responsible” for what they do?

If there is no “free will”, are we all just NPCs (Non-Playing Characters) in a totally random pin ball game?

Determinism feels wrong.  We’d like to believe we are “in control”.   But are we?

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VOCABULARY: Dummheit — collective stupidity

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/war-the-father-of-all-mind-viruses?publication_id=1119676&post_id=191045812&isFreemail=true&r=3snn7d&triedRedirect=true

WAR: The Father of All Mind Viruses
Fear of an enemy — real, perceived, exaggerated, or fabricated — is the emotional incubator and superspreader of all mind viruses.
John Leake
Mar 15, 2026

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer concluded that they had been afflicted with collective stupidity (German: Dummheit). He was not being flippant or sarcastic, and he made it clear that stupidity is not the opposite of native intellect. On the contrary, the events in Germany between 1933 and 1943 had shown him that perfectly intelligent people were, under the pressure of fear and propaganda, rendered stupid—that is, incapable of critical reasoning.

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“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Fear is not real. It is a product of thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.” — Will Smith

‘Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past me I will turn to see fear’s path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.’ — Muad’Dib in DUNE

“To learn what we fear is to learn who we are. Horror defies our boundaries and illuminates our souls.” — Shirley Jackson

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real —  I Kings 19:1-15

Maybe this is where our English word “dumbshit” originates?

AI Overview — “Dumbshit” is a vulgar slang term referring to a very stupid, foolish, or incompetent person. It is used as a derogatory noun or, less commonly, as an adjective to describe extreme foolishness. Originating in American slang around the 1940s, it serves as a harsh term of address.

That’s about the right timeframe for Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s observation to appear in the USA.  

Seems like a good label to apply to a lot people in today’s population.

Maybe to plagiarize Jeff Foxworthy —  

— if you have any of these “derangement syndromes”, you maybe a dumbshit!

— if you believe anything a politicians or bureaucrats says, you maybe a dumbshit!

— if you echo anything to see or hear on “social media” without citation or evidence, you maybe a dumbshit!

Nota Bene:  Everything I blog about starts with a link of what prompted it.

“My first rule: I don’t believe anything the government tells me.” — George Carlin  

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2026-03Mar-24 0841 — Revised to fix format.


GOVERNACIDE: Gooferment Skrules adults are “racist”?

Monday, March 23, 2026

https://nypost.com/2026/03/13/us-news/california-appeals-court-sides-with-student-punished-for-writing-any-life-below-black-lives-matter-sketch/

Schoolgirl, 6, off the hook for poignant hand-written BLM letter principal said was ‘racist’ thanks to 1960s civil rights ruling
By Ross O’Keefe
Published March 13, 2026, 8:17 p.m. ET

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“Today’s ruling affirms what should be obvious: Students don’t lose their constitutional rights just because they’re young,” Caleb Trotter, senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a release published online. “The Constitution protects every student’s right to free expression. No child should be punished for expressing a well-intentioned message to a friend.”

*** end quote ***

Child's drawing on white paper that says "Black Lives Mater any life" with four colored ovals underneath, held by a hand.

I know at least one child who is “pure of heart”.  He really doesn’t “see” color yet.  And he too is “pro life”.

“Suffer the little children to … …”

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
— Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” Aug. 28, 1963

Gooferment Skrules are designed to produce cannon fodder for the Army, willing morons for the factories, and useful idiots to vote for and be led by the elite.  

For this “principal” to see racism is the problem.

Argh!

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SAFETY: Keep a portable carbon monoxide detector in your cars

Sunday, March 22, 2026

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15643759/aubrie-morgan-carbon-monoxide-death-michigan.html

Woman, 18, killed in terrifying freak accident while sitting in her running car – and no-one could work out what happened to her, until they hoisted vehicle into the air
By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
Published: 15:50 EDT, 13 March 2026 | Updated: 18:48 EDT, 13 March 2026

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It wasn’t until police hoisted her 2010 sedan up onto a lift that they noticed the small crack on her engine’s manifold.

The crack allowed exhaust gases to leak inside Aubrie’s vehicle, which investigators say led to her death by the so-called silent killer of carbon monoxide poisoning.

*** and ***

Aubrie’s heartbroken parents are now urging other drivers, especially those with older cars, to keep a portable carbon monoxide detector in their vehicle.

They also plan to start a nonprofit organization in Aubrie’s name that will focus on raising awareness about the Carbon Monoxide exposure in cars, Today reported.

*** end quote ***

I have heard the advice to ensure that a car’s exhaust pipe is clear in blizzards.  This is the first I’ve heard of a crack in the exhaust pipe of an old car causing a fatality.

I have a small monitor for when we travel because hotels have several exposure risks.  It was cheap, $40 and good for a decade. 

Seems like cheap insurance?

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS: OOOPS, facial recognition got it wrong

Saturday, March 21, 2026

https://boingboing.net/2026/03/12/grandmother-jailed-108-days-after-facial-recognition-got-it-wrong.html

Grandmother jailed 108 days after facial recognition got it wrong
Ellsworth Toohey 4:44 pm Thu Mar 12, 2026

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Fargo police had identified her as a bank fraud suspect using AI facial recognition software. The software was wrong.

Lipps spent nearly four months in a Tennessee jail without bail — classified as a fugitive, she had no hearing, no interview, nothing. North Dakota officers didn’t retrieve her until October 30, 108 days after the arrest.

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Sorry, but which politicians and bureaucrats are going to jail for 108 days?

In another great example of “justice” (habeas corpus for me but not for thee), this lady lost everything due to a “software error”.  Even a modest amount of investigation would have prevented this.

Hope she gets a good lawyer and can penetrate “qualified immunity”!

Argh!

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GOVEROTRAGEOUS:The first to go should be the politicians and bureaucrats and their relatives

Friday, March 20, 2026

https://www.lewrockwell.com/lrc-blog/as-iran-war-escalates-congress-passes-automatic-involuntary-draft-registration/

As Iran War Escalates, Congress Passes Automatic Involuntary Draft Registration
By Daniel McAdams
March 11, 2026

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As often happens, the NDAA bill contains some of the worst language of all legislation. This year is no different, with language slipped into the bill that automatically and involuntarily registers young men for the military draft. With the war in Iran escalating and talks of troops needed.

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Where is the spirit of Charlie Rangel when you need it?

Former U.S. Representative Charlie Rangel (D-NY), a Korean War veteran, repeatedly introduced legislation between 2003 and 2015 to reinstate a military draft, known as the Universal National Service Act. He argued that mandatory service for all, including women, would ensure shared sacrifice and force Congress to be more cautious about entering conflicts.

All us crazy little L libertarians would chime in to pass it.  Not because we wanted a “draft” but we wanted all the politicians and bureaucrats on record.  None of this non-sense about an “all volunteer army” when the body bags start coming home and its a disproportionately composed of poor and minority men.  When all the rich and powerful kids seek out convenient slots in the National Guard or Reserves.  As a Viet Nam era draftee, I didn’t have any such political pull.  So “register and take” everyone —  men, women, rich, poor, white, black, brown, or green.

So, I am fundamentally opposed to “the Draft” —  didn’t Lincoln free the slaves? —  as an infringement on our basic human rights.

So if the Congress wants to have a draft, then the first to go should be the politicians and bureaucrats and their relatives!

“No matter who you vote for, you get John McCain” – @ThomasEWoods.

“Any infringement of them is equally a crime, whether committed by one man, calling himself a robber, or by millions, calling themselves a government.” — Lysander Spoone The Unconstitutionality of Slavery

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NOTRECOMMENDED: Presidio Digital Vault aka AARP Digital Vault

Thursday, March 19, 2026

2026-03Mar-12

NOTRECOMMENDED: Prisidio Digiital Vault aka AARP Digital Vault

It all started when I was at ‘McD’s and started an upload to the Digital Vault.

NG!

No VPN. 

Sigh! Argh!

Then I started to investigate what exactly was securing my documents.  I was expecting that my User Id / Password combination was being used at a key.

WRONG!

When I dug into it deeper I referred to ₿itcoin; “Not your keys, not your coins” is a popular cryptocurrency mantra meaning that if you do not hold the private keys (or seed phrase) to your wallet, you do not truly own or control your digital assets.

It turns out, I assume, that Presidio has only one set of keys.

Hence, when it gets hacked, all my data is at risk.

Note I said “WHEN” because I can’t imagine more of a motherlode of data.  They suggest putting everything in “your vault”.   When I hears images of credit cards, that’s when I went FULL STOP.

*** begin quote ***

Hello Ferdinand,

I hope you’re doing well!

One of our support reps asked that I review a support case he has open with you. I wanted to personally address your concerns about VPN access and encryption.

On the VPN question: I totally understand why blocking VPNs seems counterintuitive from a security standpoint. While VPNs are great for legitimate, personal privacy, they’re also heavily used by attackers to hide their tracks and mask where attacks are coming from. It’s unfortunately become one of the most common ways bad actors try to access accounts. So yes, it’s a trade-off – we’re blocking VPNs to protect against credential stuffing and other attacks that exploit that anonymity. Unfortunately for those of us that use personal VPNs, we’re out of luck.

Regarding your encryption concerns: While I cannot disclose the specific technical details of our encryption implementation for security reasons, I can assure you that:

  1. Your data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption protocols
  2. We follow security best practices designed to protect against the exact scenario you’re concerned about – ensuring that a breach doesn’t result in compromising customer data
  3. Our security architecture is built with multiple layers of protection

That said, we recognize that different customers have different security requirements and risk tolerances. If our current security model doesn’t align with what you feel comfortable with – we completely understand.

I will definitely share your thoughts and concerns with our security team. Feedback like this is important – it helps us understand what matters most to our users and where we might need to evolve our security model.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or feedback and I will address them to the best of my abilities. I’ll ask our support rep to close your support case as you are welcome to reach out to me directly should you have any other concerns to share.

Thanks Ferdinand – have a great day!

 

 

Mark Wilkins
Director Support Services, Prisidio

*** end quote ***

MY CANCELLATION FOLLOWED

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary!)

I don’t understand why all the TECH BLOGS are not “jumping” all over this?

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PEACE: The old policy of avoiding “entangling alliances” is a better — foreign policy!

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5a7LX5MA6MR2nBy7cNMHmY?si=j4iZJvfuSzymwAGhffae6w&nd=1&dlsi=d14082ab8d034d52

Is Paleoconservatism Isolationist?
The Brion McClanahan Show
Think Locally, Act Locally

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2026-03-11>>

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I would never describe a paleoconservative foreign policy as “isolationist.” That is a pejorative used by its detractors. Non-interventionist would be the proper term. This is the traditional American conservative position dating to the Washington administration. It is not pacifist or ideologically anti-war–paleocons are not Quakers–nor does it seek to cut off diplomacy or trade with the rest of the world. The old policy of avoiding “entangling alliances” is a better interpretation than “isolation.” 

*** end quote ***

And, maybe if our Gooferment had a better handle on diplomacy, then 175 “little girls” (IDK how “little” they were, but school aged) would still be alive.  And 7 Americans and an unknown number of Iranains.)

“No matter who you vote for, you get John McCain” – @ThomasEWoods.

Congress has unconstitutionally delegated the power to “make war” to our now “elected king”.

“The current state of American government is that members of Congress just want to be influencers because writing good laws and doing actual oversight requires to much work, presidents just want to play war because domestic policy is too hard and not as fun, and judges get to write laws and play president because it’s easier than getting elected.” — Sean Davis of The Federalist

Argh!

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JOY: Saint Padraig’s, Padriac’s, or Patrick’s Day

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

St. Patrick's Day Symbols - Shamrock Meaning, Why We Wear ...

Traditional symbols of St. Patrick’s Day include the shamrock (representing the Holy Trinity), the color green (for Ireland’s “Emerald Isle” and Irish pride), leprechauns with pots of gold, the harp (a national emblem), and the Celtic Cross, blending Celtic and Christian imagery. Other popular symbols are rainbows, Irish music, and even dyeing beer green, reflecting Irish culture and mythology.

# – # – # – # – #

Personally, Saint Padriac’s Day is the end point of my Seasonally Affected Disorder beciase a cascade of “bad events” seems to fall between Thanksgiving and March 17th.  Most of the deaths in my sphere occur during this window.  Almost like a self-fulling (self-licking ice cream cone) prophecy.

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NEWJERSEY: The wealthiest residents and businesses to chip in — not voluntarily!

Monday, March 16, 2026

https://patch.com/new-jersey/southbrunswick/s/k3z6t/sherrill-looks-to-end-crisis-5-takeaways-from-nj-budget-address?user_email=6977bb79afc18d89968a6a0494d4b398a8e9e97df94217a36edb8fcfd93b518e&user_email_md5=cff302c94eb4f6351922680bba576fdd&lctg=512c02461e240a9c3f318080

Sherrill Looks To End Crisis: 5 Takeaways From NJ Budget Address

  • What might get cut – and how much? Are any new taxes on the table? Here’s the latest update from Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

Eric Kiefer, Patch Staff
Posted Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 2:54 pm ET
Updated Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 8:49 pm ET

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MORE MONEY

Sherill has insisted that her administration is not planning to raise taxes on New Jerseyans. Her administration recently released a policy blueprint that cites a plan to boost revenues without new taxes.

The governor repeated that message again Tuesday, saying that her budget proposal “does not raise taxes on individual New Jerseyans.”

Instead, the state will be looking to its wealthiest residents and businesses to chip in.

Sherrill said her budget proposal will pare back corporate tax breaks in the state, capping the deduction that our highest-earning companies can take for net operating losses.

“After COVID, more started claiming this deduction, to write off losses seen in those years,” she said. “It’s time to move on. We won’t keep shortchanging the future. Limiting this loophole saves taxpayers almost $500 million dollars.”

At the same time, some companies have been using a deduction that was introduced 15 years ago to help small businesses weather the Great Recession, she said: the Alternative Business Calculation.

“The whole point was to level the playing field for entrepreneurs,” Sherrill said. “But bigger companies started using it, too. So our budget limits that deduction to the actual small businesses it was meant for, capping eligibility at business income of a million dollars a year.”

“The car repair shop and the diner down the block are the ones who should benefit,” Sherrill said. “This fix will save another $120 million dollars a year – without taxing families a dollar more.”

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[<synonym for excrement from a male cow>!

First, “chip in” should be voluntary.  There ain’t nothing voluntarily. 

Second, any increase in State spending is a tax on everybody in the State.

Third, corporations are just a legal fiction.  Only REAL PEOPLE pay taxes.  So in everything you buy, their costs are in that product.  Buy a bar of soap and an uncalculable sliver of the cost is taxes —  Fed tax, State tax, gas tax to get it to you, real estate tax for the store you bought it from —  you can’t figure it out, but it’s there!

 … … … … and the politicians and bureaucrats like it that way.  

Why do people know about sales taxes?  Because it is broken out and printed on every receipt!

Argh!

Let’s break out the effect of EVERY tax so “We, The Sheeple” can see how badly they are being robbed!

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2026-03Mar-12

https://nj1015.com/sherrill-budget-impact-businesses/?alef=&lh_aid=84349&lh_cid=vypudpl6xz&di=0bab583a05e28e6772cd8a0bf9b4db7f

Corporations don’t pay taxes.  They are a FICTION! Argh!

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